Criminal+ Episode: "Captain’s Orders"

Podcast: Criminal (Vox Media Podcast Network)
Date: February 12, 2026
Hosts: Phoebe Judge & Lauren Spoier

Episode Overview

This Criminal+ episode is a relaxed, candid conversation between host Phoebe Judge and producer Lauren Spoier. The main theme explores Phoebe’s first-hand experience witnessing an airline passenger removed from a plane after refusing to comply with exit row procedures—a vivid example of post-pandemic air travel tensions and questions about authority on board. The episode also detours through discussions on airline status, the authority of pilots, short story reading, recent obsessions, pop culture, and everyday oddities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Phoebe’s Airline Incident: Authority at 30,000 Feet

Timestamps: 01:52–10:42

• Phoebe recounts a recent flight where a passenger refusing to provide verbal confirmation for exit row duties (as required by airline policy) led to cascading problems with crew and ultimately the intervention of the captain.
• The sequence involves:
  • The flight attendant’s escalating attempts to gain the passenger’s compliance.
  • The captain decisively stating, “Well, then, he’s off the plane.” (06:01)
  • Attempts to de-escalate and move the passenger fail; he demands to speak to the pilot.
  • The pilot, described as a young Australian man, insists, “I’m very sorry, sir, but that’s my decision... We need people to comply, and that is my decision.” (08:21)
  • The passenger resists leaving. The threat of police means the entire plane would have to deboard. The gate agent cleverly lures him off, after which the door is swiftly shut and the flight proceeds.
• Reflection on pilot authority:
  • “The interesting thing was to learn that the pilot does have that total authority to say, ‘You’re out of here.’” (10:26)
  • Phoebe’s seat in 1C puts her at the center of the action.

2. Reflections on Storytelling, Surprises, and Show Updates

Timestamps: 11:48–13:49

• Brief meta-discussion on the advantages of keeping podcast episode descriptions vague to preserve the element of surprise, based on listener feedback:
  • “Overwhelmingly their response was, ‘We love it. Vague. We love it.’” (13:33)
• Some subscribers want more concrete info for archival/search purposes.
• The team’s new approach: monthly previews for Patreon supporters, with a recognition that not everyone wants spoilers.

3. Reading Group Segment: Hemingway and Mansfield

Timestamps: 14:02–18:27

• Lauren describes her initial resistance and subsequent praise of Hemingway’s Indian Camp as “very good... It would just move away from the action. And I thought that was very, very sad and very good. And I was like, oh, right. This is the whole thing that made him so famous.” (15:13)
• Next reading pick: Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield, which Phoebe calls “the saddest thing I have read... there’s nothing I’ve read that has given me more compassion for people.” (17:13)
• This segment highlights the show’s literary leanings and hosts’ personal connections to stories.

4. Listener Q&A: Phoebe's Daily Smoothie Recipe

Timestamps: 18:27–20:23

• By request, Phoebe shares her morning smoothie recipe:
  • Protein powder (unflavored, from mung beans), creatine (optional), flaxseed, chia seed, wild Maine or Canadian blueberries, Greek yogurt (plain, 0% fat), quarter of a banana, and filtered water.
  • Emphasis on the importance of real, wild blueberries and no sweeteners or flavors.

5. Three “New York Times Artist” Questions with Phoebe

Timestamps: 20:28–23:43

1. What embarrasses you?
   • “Dancing. Ooh, karaoke. Anything performative like that, which is so funny because you stand on a stage holding a microphone.” (20:43)
2. What are you reading?
   • Bitter Blood, a true crime book about Greensboro, North Carolina murders, recommended for its gripping narrative and out-of-print status.
   • Reflection on early episode sourcing from obscure library books.
3. Whose work makes you the most jealous?
   • Phoebe, to Lauren: “Tip of my tongue. I think everyone’s work makes me jealous. I feel like I’m constantly thinking, how did they do that in everything?” (23:21)

6. Pop Culture Chat: TV (The Night Manager, The Pit, and ER)

Timestamps: 23:43–25:52

• Both hosts bemoan the poor finale of The Night Manager Season 2—“It was so violent. And there was no even kernel of curiosity for us.” (23:59)
• Discussion of the weekly TV episode drop, ER nostalgia, and how “appointment” viewing feels different depending on time zones.

7. Research Rabbit Holes: Jack in the Box E. Coli Outbreak

Timestamps: 25:52–28:13

• Phoebe pitches a future episode about the 1993 Jack in the Box E. Coli crisis—a formative public memory with few young team members aware of it.
• “I was shocked at how few people on the team knew about Jack in the Box...” (26:59)
• Interest in the cultural and corporate impact, food industry safety reforms, and the enduring fear over contaminated products.

8. Aerophobia, Water Bottle Panic, and Everyday Neuroses

Timestamps: 28:13–29:39

• Paranoia over possibly tampered or contaminated water bottles left in cars or taken on planes.
• “You get into the car and you have your water bottle there and your water bottle is open and there’s a sip gone, but not a big sip. And you can’t remember if you took a sip or if this is full of chemicals. This is poison.” (28:23)

9. Fun and Quirky News with Lauren: “Headlines”

Timestamps: 29:39–33:09

• “Finger princess” (Korean slang for someone unwilling to do their own basic info searching)—Lauren applies this label to Phoebe, with playful anecdotes.
  • “You, Phoebe Judge, are a finger princess.” (31:42)
• Discovery of a new “Earthiest” planet (similar radius and year to Earth, 146 light-years away).
• Trivia: Sweden has the most lakes on Earth, leading to reminiscence about their shared trip to the Louisiana Museum in Denmark.

10. Three Favorite Things Lately

Timestamps: 33:14–39:44

Lauren’s picks

• The Studio: A Seth Rogen comedy show—particularly enjoys its upbeat nature and self-aware humor (though Phoebe is less enthusiastic).
• Nala natural deodorant: “I think it works.” (36:13)
• The Givenness of Things by Marilynne Robinson: Praises the “beautifully written” essays on “joyless urgency.” (38:28)

Phoebe’s picks

• Westminster Dog Show breed judging videos on YouTube: “Really, really interesting to see dogs that look so similar and to figure out why the one that was picked, was picked.” (35:04)
• The Green Egg grill: A newly acquired (by gift) outdoor ceramic grill; she describes the joy of “grilling in the snow” and taking time to master new skills.
• L-Theanine (a supplement): “I’ve been taking L-Theanine and I highly recommend it.” (39:38)

Additional tangents

• Phoebe dreams about attending a Dave Matthews concert alone and muses on the culture around his concerts and the difference from other “jam band” communities.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Phoebe, on escalating airline authority:

  • "The pilot said, well, then he's off the plane. And I heard the pilot say this. And I thought... this is actually going to happen on a flight I'm on." (06:01)
  • "The interesting thing was to learn that the pilot does have that total authority to say, 'You're out of here.'" (10:26)

• Lauren, summarizing the passenger ejection:

  • “So they were like, sir, even though you’re creating a huge problem, we’re going to move you to first class.” (06:44)

• Phoebe, on literary compassion:

  • "There’s nothing I’ve read that has given me more compassion for people... it’s too much, it’s too Ms. Brill." (17:13/17:37)

• Lauren, defining ‘finger princess’:

  • “It’s Korean slang for someone who will not look something up. That is very obvious... I think this is you." (30:56)
  • Phoebe: "Yep, finger princess." (31:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Airline Exit Row Incident: 01:52–10:42
• On Podcast Surprises & Descriptions: 11:48–13:49
• Literary Reading Group: 14:02–18:27
• Phoebe’s Smoothie Recipe: 18:27–20:23
• Artist Q&A: 20:28–23:43
• Night Manager & TV Discussion: 23:43–25:52
• Jack in the Box Outbreak & Culture: 25:52–28:13
• Water Bottle Panic: 28:13–29:39
• “Headlines with Lauren”: 29:39–33:09
• Three Favorite Things: 33:14–39:44
• Dave Matthews/Concert Tangent: 39:44–end

Tone & Style

This episode is conversational, anecdotal, self-deprecating, and breezy. Throughout, Phoebe and Lauren riff off each other in the mode of good friends and colleagues, blending humor with curiosity and an appreciation for the oddities and anxieties of modern life. Their tangents into literary analysis, food routines, and quirky psychological habits make it feel less like a classic true crime episode and more like an inside look into the personalities behind Criminal.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• Main takeaway: Passengers and crew alike are navigating new boundaries of authority and civility in public spaces, as illustrated by Phoebe’s real-world airline experience.
• Extra value: Expect generous helpings of literary discussion, pop culture musings, wellness tips, and endearing confessions.
• Easy reference: See timestamps above for your favorite segment!

Contact & Community

• Listener emails and feedback invited: hello@thisiscriminal.com or 833-822-7850
• Episode closes with the happy news that Phoebe’s heating repair is finally en route after days of cold (41:24).

End of Summary